A brief Q&A on Training and Development

Much of my work over recent years has been to embed great practice and knowledge into the minds of those who have attended any one of my training sessions. I have usually been invited to do this by management who are requesting it as part of their learning and development programmes. There is a trend in the types of companies who invest in their staff, and over the years the industries that are prepared to invest include both the public and private sectors.

So just what is the point of training and why do some companies invest in it more than others?

Q: What is the point of training?

A: Ideally, those benefitting from the training should come away with improvements in capability, capacity and performance. It should help a business embed key skills and knowledge into their staff that will support them in the role they are currently doing but also become transferrable to new roles in the future. Staff will become more motivated through the increase in knowledge and the feeling of being valued by the company from the investment.

Q: How do I start implementing training when I have so many different people to ‘be trained’?

A: If you don’t have an L&D Head you can work with, then it is a quick and affordable solution for someone to come in and evaluate your current situation, look at your future plans and then identify a training plan. They can work with you to see what you need to deliver to the workforce in order to build a strong platform for the future.

Q: What about the rise of online learning, does this make training more affordable?

A: Online training is a great tool for learning, whatever the level or subject. It is a great place for staff to be able to log in and learn at their own pace and then complete assessments or assignments on line for grading to check they have ‘learnt’. However you do not get the added value of the networking when in a group environment, neither are the learners able to bond as with group sessions. It is hard to say what training is more or less expensive than another, as that is dependent on many things. Remember, everyone learns differently so it is great to have a range of training tools to ensure maximum value.

Q: What happens if I don’t invest in training, because I may not be able to afford it?

A: No matter what type of business you are, there are many opportunities for free training to offer you and your staff. For smaller businesses, local councils and start-up networks will offer courses and learning pathways as they are likely to be able to access funding central funding. There are also free courses by industry. What you will need to do is to invest some time into researching this as there is likely to be a lot of options available. It is almost impossible not to invest in any sort of training, even if it does not extend beyond the actual employment, but for the benefit of both the staff and the company the value of training extends way beyond the outputs in the office. For a happy, motivated workforce it is absolutely essential that they feel that the company values them, and training is a great way to do it.

If you need a starting point for rolling out training in your business, or would just like an informal discussion, please do get in touch, as we can give you some ideas on how to get started in the most cost effective way for you.